Thermostatic-valve device.



No. 642,533. Patnted Ian. 30, I900. J.-'A. SERRELL & m. uzncu.THEBMUSTATIC VALVE DEVICE.

(Application filed Feb. 24, 1899.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT i .IOHN A. SERRELL, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, ANDMEREDITH LEirori, OE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE WARRENWEBSTER a COMPANY, OF OAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

TH ERMOS TATI C-VALVE DEVICE;

SPEcIEIcATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,533, dated January30, 19cc.

Application filed February 24, 1899. Serial No. 706,682. (No model.)

To a whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN A. SERRELL, of ayonne, Hudson county, NewJersey, and MEREDITH LEITCH, of Boston, Sufiolk county, 5 Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Thermostatic -Valve Devices, of whichthe following is a specification.

Ourinvention relates to thermostatic-valve devices; and it consists ofthe improvements which are fully set forth in the followingspecification and are shown in the accompanying drawings.

In thermostatic valves such as are used in steam-heating systems greatsensitiveness I and positiveness of action are desirable. This isparticularly true in those systems where a partial vacuum or lowerpressure is maintained in the valve-outlet as compared with the inletand the valve is designed to permit the passage or discharge of air orwater of condensation, but to prevent the escape ofsteam. As the totalexpansion of such valves, due to the differences in temperature betweenwater of condensation and steam at low pres- 2 5 sure, is limited, it isdesirable that this total expansion should be available and that theelement of lost motion, due to wear, 1oose-.

ness, or imperfect construction, should be eliminated.

0 Our invention is especially designed to render the total expansionavailable by taking up all lost motion due to looseness, ill-fitting, orwear between the thermostatic expanding piece and the parts whichsupport it or are 3 5 controlled by it. This object we accomplish by theemployment of a spring acting on the expanding member to take up alllooseness between it and its support or the parts it operates, so thatlost motion is eliminated and the total available expansion is Obtained.

Our invention also embraces other features and improvements, which aremore particularly described and claimed hereinafter.

The accompanying drawing shows a ver- 5 tical sectional view of athermostatic valve embodying our invention.

Our invention may be applied either to a globe or angle valve, and forpurposes of illustration we have shown the construction embodied in anangle-valve.

In the construction shown our invention is illustrated to apply to athermostatic valve of the character shown in our Patent No. 600,653,dated March 15, 1898. In that valve the expanding piece E is locatedwithin a cas- 5 5 ing I, which forms a closed compartment within thevalve-body communicating through permanent openings g (shown in dottedlines) in the valve-seat D with the suction or discharge side andoperates, when expanded, to close passage-ways e f through thevalve-seat independent of the openings g and leading to the supply sideof the valve-bod y. The construction is such that a lower pressure orpartial vacuum maintained inthe discharge side extends into the chamberin which the expanding piece is located, and thus the expanding piece isprotected from the direct action of steam at high temperature andpressure. In that patent the expanding member in one construction isshown carried at its upper end in an adjustable plug H and-in anotherconstruction loosely supported within the val ve-body. In either casethere is liability of lost motion, owing to looseness between the plugand expanding piece or between the plug and its screw-threads; Toovercome this lost motion, we employ the spring F, acting upon theexpanding piece and pressing it against the plug H, thus preventing anylooseness between the plug and expanding piece or between the plug andits threadway and rendering the total expansion available.

In the construction shown the expanding piece E is provided near its topwith a shoulder h, which receives the thrust of the spring F, arrangedwithin the valve-bonnet B. An annular washer M may be placed between thespring and shoulder h to act as a bearing for v the upper end of thespring and to prevent o injury to the composition of the expandingpiece.

The expanding piece may be free from the plug H or directly connectedtherewith.

, The spring acts to hold the expanding piece 5 upon its seat or supportand to take up all looseness, whether that looseness be between theexpanding piece and the plug or between the plug and its threadway, andthus all lost motion is avoided and the total expansion of the expandingpiece is rendered available, thus rendering the valve more sensitive andpositive in its action.

The details of construction, which have been shown, may be Variedwithout departing from the invention.

We claim- 1. In a thermostatic valve, the combination of the valve-body,a valve-seat carried thereby, the upwardly-extending elongated bonnet B,the adjustable plug H carried by the valve-bonnet, the solid elongatedexpanding piece extending upward into the bonnet and having its upperend provided with a shoulder h and supported by the plug H, and thespring F having a fixed support at one end within the valve body orbonnet and thrust-- ing at its upper end against the shoulder at theupper end of the expanding piece, to maintain said expanding piece atall times in contact with its plug or support, but without aifecting theexpansion or contraction of the said expanding piece.

2. In a thermostatic-valve device, the 00mbination of the valve-body, afixed seat or support carried thereby, an elongated expanding piece forcontrolling the valve passage-way seated at its upper end upon said'fixed seat or support, and a spring having a fixed bearing at one endand thrusting at its upper end against the upper end of the elongatedexpanding piece adjacent to the seat 'or support to maintain said upperend at all times in contact with its seat or support, but Withoutafiecting or controlling the movements of the expanding piece undercontraction or expansion.

In testimony of which invention we have hereunto set our hands.

JOHN A. SERRELL. MEREDITH LEITCI-I.

Witnesses to John A. Serrell:

WM. I. SERRELL, JOHN G. EADIE. Witnesses to Meredith Leitch:

J. FRANK TUTTLE, WM. LANCASTER.

